96 OBSERVATIONS ON FOX-HUNTING 



then Duke of Richmond's hunt, always met at 

 break of day, that he might find his fox by the 

 drag of him. He often threw off at his kennel, 

 it being no great distance from large woodlands 

 on either side. Foxes will sometimes prowl about 

 a kennel at night, probably attracted by the 

 smell of horse-flesh, &c. ; and the hounds fre- 

 quently hit vipon the drag of one immediately. 

 It is told of this radical sportsman, (who often 

 bivouacked the night before under the covert 

 he was to meet at the next morning, if at any 

 great distance from home,) that he was in the 

 constant habit of disturbing the Duke's country, 

 and drawing his best coverts, if he could not 

 find elsewhere. On one occasion, the Duke sent 

 a messenger, requesting him to forbear, and to 

 keep within a certain line of country : the person 

 was received with great hospitality, and after a 

 long conference, in the course of which many 

 bumpers were drank, and no arrangement made, 

 old Land sent the messenger back to Goodwood, 

 a little the worse for liquor, with the following 

 laconic answer, {not very respectful, you will say,) — 

 " That he had hunted the country before his 

 Grace was born, and he hoped to do it after he 



was dead and d d." Mr. L. was, however 



wrong in his calculation, — as the Duke outlived 

 him many years. 



